COMICS COLORING: THEORIES AND BARRIERS

Came across two articles that are worth reading, both with titles that connect in name, differ in theme and presentation, and give thought to craft and diversity. Below are snippets of the most recent offerings of each column with links to the full article. Hit the main images for archives.

COLOR THEORIES 1.2 – The Psychology of Color in Storytelling:“…So, how else does color aid in storytelling? Well, the options are nearly limitless. We use a kind of visual shorthand to help the reader feel the emotion of scene. For example, if a script calls for a tense situation like the vengeance of a super-villain or the boiling passion of a scorned lover, you’ll often find red used to better communicate the emotional intent of the scene. On a basic human level, red represents feelings of danger or extreme caution. We use it in our everyday life to keep us safe and out of harms way. A red light means stop. Red text sometimes indicates potential danger. And a bright red surface tells us that it may be hot and we shouldn’t touch it. In a storytelling medium like comic books, the color red often suggests emotions like anger, hatred or pain…”comicaddiction.net/2014/02/10/color-theories-1-1-the-psychology-of-color-in-storytelling

THE COLOR BARRIER: Geoffrey Thorne Wants Imaginary Worlds To Reflect Reality“…Since that mostly means telling stories in which the non-White peoples of the world exist in the background or as “seasoning” for the main White, straight, male heroes, it’s up to those of us who want to see other sorts of stories to tell those stories. I live in a world where heroes come in all shades, genders, sexualities, sizes, faiths and nationalities. Villains, too. If that’s my real world, my imaginary world will reflect that. So, no, it’s not conscious. Sometimes I write stories with no brown people in them, or with gay leads or whatever, not because I’m making a point, but because that’s the world I actually live in…”www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=50834